Issaquah School Board - 5/8/19

Members present:  Harlan Gallinger, Marnie Maraldo, Anne Moore, Suzanne Weaver, Sydne Mullings
 
The Board discussed their participation in a training session on equity. There was a discussion on how to give the policy more clarity, and how to get more feedback from students. Maybe have a “safe person” available for them to speak with? Conversation was held on the new cultural competency work being done in the buildings. Several board members took time to visit a few schools to see how it was working. Staff and students of those schools expressed appreciation of the board’s interest. Board members discussed making the approach to problems as adaptive for short term, rather than technical problems for the long term.
 
Next discussion was on the District’s policy of “Treatment of People”. Superintendent Thiele went over the ways the district protects private information, deters discrimination, and prevents bias. Near the end of the school year, some grades are given surveys of their school experience and asked to rate their satisfaction. The board wanted to know if it can be disaggregated to find out the actual schools where the surveys are given. This info could be used to decide where to focus some of the problem-solving efforts. Superintendent Thiele offered to see if it was possible.
 
Capital Projects Update – All current remodels are scheduled to be on time for this fall. Five of the remodels in general will be completed by new levy time. Some discussion over what to do with the old portables. Elementary #16 will break ground in June, Middle School #6 will break ground late summer or early fall, High School #4 is yet to be determined. Administration is moving into their new building in August.
 
Legislative matters – Jake Kuper discussed the new bill that passed on levies. Issaquah School District qualifies for the raise in levy lid from $1.50 to $2.00, and from $2500 per child to $3000. The district will also have to pay by head count for SEB (School Employee Benefits), instead of average of hours worked by employees.
 
Superintendent Thiele announced they would begin formation of the next Levy Development Committee.
 
Podcasts of meetings are available to the public via their website, https://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/board/podcast